1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to dining or bib garments for use during meals and more particularly to a combined bib and tray cover for a high chair or similar article of furniture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of bib garments have been developed or proposed for use by a person seated in a dining situation. Typically, such bibs are provided for use by infants or young children to protect their clothing and/or furniture from food and liquid spills, drooling, and the like. Bibs are often equipped with an apron or other extension to spread over a tray or table or under dishware to enhance their utility. In some examples, the extended bib has fence-like sides attached to better retain food items discarded or not yet eaten from leaking or falling off or being pushed away from the bib or its extension.
Such foregoing features are disclosed in the prior art, including the following representative examples. U.S. Pat. No. 2,672,614 issued to Zimmerman et al describes a “Bib” having a curved form to fit around the body of the wearer. A tray panel is provided around the lower portion of the bib. The tray panel has a bottom surface and a reinforced “upstanding flange” extending from the perimeter of the bottom surface, which is connected to a lower side of the bib nearest its rearward edges, forming a container to catch and retain food particles or liquid foods.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,511 issued to Brady describes a one-piece bib that has a tray portion extending from the lower part of the bib that includes a pocket on the underside that may be slipped over the tray and pulled rearward until the tray is completely enclosed by the pocket. The bib is also configured to form a second pocket at the lower portion of the bib between the near edge of the tray and the bib to catch food particles and liquids. A bowl retainer comprising a circular piece of flexible material having an outer peripheral edge, which includes a drawstring, is provided to secure a bowl of food to the top side of the tray portion of the bib.U.S. Pat. No. 2,762,053 issued to Lipscomb for a “Bib with Tray Cover.” The tray cover includes an elastic band around its perimeter so that the perimeter of the tray cover may be pulled over and under the tray edge to secure the tray cover. The bib and tray cover is constructed without gathers in the materials extending across the bib portion at the rear of the tray or between the child wearing the bib and the tray, to avoid surfaces in which liquid or other foods could lodge and be difficult to remove. A basin-like pocket is provided at the lower end of the bib when the high chair tray is positioned properly with respect to the front of the child wearing the bib and tray cover. The bib and tray cover may be constructed of a single piece of flat material.U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,455 issued Klaine for an “Infant's Bib and Auxiliary Tray” having inflatable, tubular sidewalls which serve to form a confining basin extending over the upper surface of the tray of the high chair. A tray frame is required for supporting the auxiliary tray in position. The confining basin may be collapsed for storage. The tray cover itself is preferably formed of a sheet of flexible plastic material. A valve is provided for inflating and deflating the inflatable sidewalls.U.S. Pat. No. 2,822,548 issued to Rhowmine describes an improved one-piece “Child's Bib and Tray Cover” (See same inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 2,457,725). The tray cover includes an elastic band around its perimeter to secure it to a tray. The improved bib and tray cover includes, in place of the string ties to secure the bib to the child, an elastic band and strip such that the shoulder straps of the bib may be stretched to slip the bib over the child's head and arms.U.S. Pat. No. 2,905,943 issued to Carlisle et al describes a “Combined Bib and Apron.” The apron portion is configured to fit over the tray of a high chair and secured by elastic strips around the edge of the apron. The one piece bib and apron includes sufficient material to provide a trough between the child's waist and the near edge of the tray of the high chair. The combined bib and apron is made of a single sheet of waterproof material.
The foregoing bib-and-apron combinations have one or more of the following inconvenient features. Those that have a sidewall either require inflation of the sidewall and a supporting frame for the sidewall, a stiffener internal to a laminated sidewall, or lack any kind of support for the sidewall. Thus, the sidewall feature requires a set up operation to use, is insufficiently flexible or has relatively hard edges, or the sidewall is rendered ineffective as a containing mechanism because of its lack of support. In addition, those bib-and-apron combinations that are reusable require bailing out of the trough or basin, or removal from the high chair, to dispose of spilled food items. What is needed is a bib and tray cover combination that solves these problems and increases the utility and ease of use without diminishing the comfort to the child that is using it.